Design basis ground motion required on new regulatory guide. Introduction of lessons learned from recent disastrous earthquakes

The Nuclear Regulation Authority is developing new regulatory standards in response to the disaster that occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant operated by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO). As well as providing an explanation of the requirements of the new regulatory standards, this commentary describes changes in the evaluation of the design basis seismic ground motions to be established as the basis of seismic design. It also presents new findings concerning the damage sustained in the 2011 Tohoku earthquake (Mw 9.0) and other recent destructive earthquakes to explain how these findings may help secure advancements in the evaluation of design basis seismic ground motions. (author)